Number fourteen in the bag. A fond farewell as three depart…

Morning all.

Only one place to start and that’s the Women’s FA Cup Final. An outstanding goal by Dan Carter was enough to seal victory for Arsenal. That’s 14 FA Cup final trophies in the cabinet, a record in the competition. I thought our girls totally outplayed the favourites Chelsea and if it wasn’t for being sloppy in front of goal, they would have a won by a much higher scoreline. Sound familiar?

Back to the men and everyone thinks Arsenal will batter Aston Villa today, just like we did in the FA Cup Final last season. Paul Merson has gone for the same scoreline which to be honest, is somewhere near it should be today.

Aston Villa arrive at The Emirates knowing that next season they’ll be in the Championship so they’ll have nothing to play for other than pride, but considering the way the West Midlands club have played this campaign, I strongly suspect most of the players will just want today over so they can go on their holidays. The odds are heavily stacked against the away team to get anything from today’s match.

It’s the final day of the 2015/16 season, one which has been so disappointing in many ways. Losing/drawing against clubs we never used to, defending in a way which must have Tony Adams, Gilberto and Sol Campbell pulling their hair out and I won’t even mention our attacking play. Reyes, Freddie, Bobby must wish they were twenty years younger. So do I.

Bergkamp, Henry, Eduardo, Wrighty, RvP etc are a thing of the past. Finding a player like those is a job and a half for Arsene Wenger. But to be fair, he won’t, they were who they were but he could certainly find better than some of who we have.

It’s a big day today as the home fans wave goodbye to Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini who are all out of contract this summer. There’s talk of Arteta sticking around as a coach but nothing is certain, not yet. I wish them all well, Tomas and Mikel especially as both come across as good men, men who weren’t really driven by money but wanted only to play at the highest level. It didn’t quite happen for either really, especially for Tomas as injury plagued his Arsenal career but he’ll forever remain one of my favourites because he had everything in his footballing locker. A superb player, a player who made a difference every time he played and I’ll miss him.

Maybe we’ll get to see Tomas and captain Mikel just one more time before they leave, I sure hope so, even if it’s just for a few minutes at the end of the game today….

I hope Arsenal go out with a bang at The Emirates. I hope the fans leave their protests until after the game if they feel the need to vent their views. Arsene is staying for another season, probably more because that’s what the majority shareholder owner wants. Whatever he asks of Wenger, he’s clearly getting it so it is what it is…

Doesn’t make it right I know, but as said, it is what it is…..

COYRRG’S, end the season on a bit of a high, beat the Villa and hope Newcastle can get all three points at St James Park….

238 thoughts on “Number fourteen in the bag. A fond farewell as three depart…

  1. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico, a great post to finish the season with…

    Gotta say that was a superb goal that Ms Carter won the WFA Cup with. The Chelsea keeper was beaten all ends up, it would be nice to see the blokes score a few like that today…

  2. allezkev says:

    Tomas Rosicky will always be a ‘what if’ type of player, as in what if he’d stayed fit how would he had influenced how much more successful we would have been.
    Does anyone know what his league appearance record is over his time at the club?

    A great player, wish he was 10 years younger…

  3. allezkev says:

    WANDERERS have rejected Arsenal’s opening offer for defender Rob Holding and will dig in their heels for £7million.

    The Bolton News understands the Gunners submitted a bonus-heavy offer £2million, rising to nearly £5million at the end of last week.

    Holding was withdrawn from the squad at Fulham to protect him from injury and now looks certain to leave the Macron Stadium this summer.

    But the Whites are well aware a queue of big clubs have formed behind Arsenal to take the 20-year-old defender and are in no rush to accept offers despite their relegation to League One.

    This one has Gary Cahill written all over it…

  4. allezkev says:

    My vote for the daftest transfer rumour of the week,
    £20m bid for 32 years old Ashley Williams of Swansea..

    Yep, that’s £20 million and Williams is 32….

    What a croc of shite and what a shite journalist…

    It was a great goal Rico it really was.

  5. allezkev says:

    Coach, your figures average out at 17 EPL games a season and 2 goals a season, and I doubt that he started all those appearances, so it just goes to show what we missed out on with all the injuries…

    When you take into consideration Diaby and Eduardo during that period we’ve certainly not been very lucky in that regard.

  6. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I feel that he got injured more due to the position he was asked to play. Had he been used in the hole, like DB10, I feel he would have been injured less. As it is he got played in the centre of midfield or on the right and he got injured more as midfield is the hub of the battle field.

  7. Hell Raising Devil says:

    N’Golo Kanté has chosen Arsenal

    Following much deliberation, specifically between Chelsea and Arsenal, but also considering Manchester City and PSG, Leicester City and French international N’Golo Kanté has decided that he wants to join the Gunners, according to multiple French press reports.

    Kanté has a €25m release clause in his current contract and the player’s representatives are now understood to have informed Arsenal of their client’s decision, effectively inviting the Gunners the activate that clause.

    Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger had personally decided to pursue Kanté this summer.
    .
    .
    .
    ..
    .
    at least that is what I have read….whether or not its rubbish remains to be seen.

    Imagine having Kante and Xhaka in midfield. I would be stunned.

  8. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I would be surprised to see Ozil play today. AW will not play him and risk him getting injured. Alexis will play though. And my heart tells me that TR07 will begin the game in Ozil’s place.

    I feel this will be the team today…..

    Ospina,
    Bellerin, Gabriel, Kos, Monreal
    Coquelin, Elneny
    Iwobi, TR07, Alexis
    Ollie

    MA and MF will come on with a few minutes left or if the game is beyond Villa

  9. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Starting Theo??? I hope not.

    why should we play with a player less from the kick off??

    I hope AW takes it seriously…..as I would love to finish above the spuds, hard as it may seem.

  10. Wavy says:

    Glad I’m not the only one having tech problems Rico. Baby Wavy will sort it I expect when he returns to these shores, if he’s so re enough!
    Bit worried about Ozil’s future! Will he still be with us come the start of next season?
    Today I think we’ll see all 3 leavers at some point today but I doubt any will start.
    4-0 today. Mersey is a visionary!

  11. rico says:

    AW wants him to play for England and has backed him publicly on the official site. That’s the only reason for my thinking…

    Campbell could start for the shop window…

  12. goonster says:

    Yippee we re getting 3 players 😀 that just made my day. Good one arsene finally acting sane again. I ll take xhaka morata and mikitarian please. Promote my boys toral and zelalem and bin Ramsey 😀 I know the last part won’t happen but a guy can dream no 😀 morning HH the sun is shining this morning I feel like breaking into a song 😀 lalalalalalala.

  13. goonster says:

    Kante over xhaka???? Certainly not. We re a possession based team. We ll do better with a ball player cue xhaka. Kante is suited for a counter attacking team like the invicibles. We stopped playing that sort of footie a while back. Plus xhaka has been known to be a consistent performer growing every season while kante is still a one season wonder…well he is until he proves he can do it season in season out. Xhaka over kante dev 😀

  14. goonster says:

    Plus you know we can’t and won’t get both. It’s going to be one or the other. Xhaka for me please but knowing arsene he ll opt for kante. French cheap and loyal (not vocal). We need a leader and a vocal son of a bitch. Someone who ll drag this sorry lot off their asses and whip them into shape. Plus it’s been a while we had a nutter on our team. Please arsene I ll take everything back if you sign xhaka. Everything 😀

  15. goonster says:

    Dev we won’t get both and you know it. Lol stop dreaming. Plus it ll disrupt our team dynamics. Unless we intend to bin ramsey. I ve been dreaming of xhaka or kroos for a while now. So hey its got to be xhaka.

  16. goonster says:

    How ll your team look like next season. Here’s mine cech bellems mert kozzer monreal xhaka santi ozil Sanchez miking and morata. My world that’s got world class Weirton all over it 😀 seriously if we manage to pull this off am back to being an AKB 😀

  17. allezkev says:

    Rico/Coach, we need to win today and that shouldn’t be a problem as Villa are a shambles.
    But if Wenger sends out the wrong message by treating this game as a ‘thank you’ to TR07, Arteta or Flamini or by using it as a promotion for Walcott or Wilshere with the Euros in mind, then we could come unstuck…

    Strongest team for me, get the job done, finish 2nd if we can (unlikely).

    Rosicky on the bench if poss, but Arteta/Flamini no…

    As for the rest of the team, it should be tactical not sentimental…

    I started this comment an hour ago, so sorry if I’m a bit out of sync… ?

  18. malaga gooner says:

    Afternoon Rico and the house

    so were at the end of this shit season

    has the inquest started yet

  19. goonster says:

    Am fabulous rico 😀 life’s good. We re getting three players. Am super chuffed. Hey MG.

  20. rico says:

    Afternoon Mg. I’d imagine the inquest will start after today, mind you, Wenger will be in France most of the summer… lol

  21. goonster says:

    That’s what a good presser does to the system AK. Lol 3 players??? My world. He actually came out and said that? Good times ahead kev good times.

  22. allezkev says:

    That’s good Rico, tell Wenger to stay in France until August 31st and we might get the business done that we need to…

  23. allezkev says:

    Well I hope you’re right about three players mate…

    The thing is Stan, what three players?

  24. goonster says:

    With the aforementioned players and a rigid tactics I see us smashing a few teams and going all the way to the semi final of the cl. The league ll be more difficult but hey we re within a shout. Come on you gunners 😀 yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah

  25. goonster says:

    Lol kev hope we don’t get a sanogo a squilacci and Olaf melberg kind of player. I ll lose it 😀

  26. allezkev says:

    Just spoke to my son, apparently Villa have taken a full complement of fans down, probably an au revoir to the EPL, there’s Brummies everywhere he said… ☹️

  27. Hell Raising Devil says:

    three players???

    One a top class player.
    another will be a youth player.
    the third will still be in its embryonic stage.

    Et Voila. Three players signed, sealed and delivered by AW.

  28. goonster says:

    Gee rico you make me sound like a sour pus 😀 am always happy you know that don’t you? Easy to please too. If I was a girl it ll take you less than a glass of martini to get to second base 😀

  29. goonster says:

    Kev you know wenger he pulls a surprise every now and then. Hey he signed kallstrom didn’t he?? So hey Olaf melberg won’t surprise me. Lol

  30. allezkev says:

    I make you right Coach…

    Arsenal seem to be being linked with a lot of young English/British players recently.
    Change of policy?

    Leicester & Leeds left-back.
    Bolton centre-half.

    Classic Wenger

  31. goonster says:

    Quotes and all. I think he means it this time. Splash the cash and start the season on fire then sign the extension 😀 cheeky bastard. Don’t sign the required players start the season in shambles and the stands ll burn. I actually see violence breaking out at some point at the Emirates. Not after the season we just had maam. He won’t fuck about.

  32. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House
    Santi starts with Coq in m/f
    J/W also starts
    no Ramsey Tomas or Walctt

  33. allezkev says:

    Stan, your on form today… ?
    I’ve gotta go and swindle a few tourists…

    It’s a plan Rico, send him on holiday and leave it to Gazides and Law… ?

    I’m usually conservative about predicting results, but our bunch of bottlers owe us a performance. So I’m going for 5-0…

    COYRRG

  34. malaga gooner says:

    Hey Goonie, cant see any decent players signing

    why would they come to a sinking ship

  35. goonster says:

    MG I ll join a sinking ship as long as am getting paid. Money talks mon fre. Ozil is staying Sanchez is not going anywhere plus we re Making the right noises. Hey trust me they ll join. Keep the faith MG 😀

  36. goonster says:

    Wow carzola ozil and Sanchez back together again. Oh my. I fear for villa 😀 come on you gunners.

  37. rico says:

    So, Wenger raves about Arsenal, now he’s injured so not in the squad.

    Call me a cynic but I reckon he’s off in the summer….

  38. Joaquim Moreira says:

    No TR7, Flamini, TW…
    Have we one more game? Any “Party Tribute” to TR7, Flamini, MA08,… TW… and AW ?

  39. Micko says:

    Go back to May 1981, last day of the season and Villa were looking to win the title at Highbury against us, we beat them 2 nil, Ipswich lost and Villa were crowned Champions, we finished 3rd, they went on to win the European Cup the following season.

    Fast forward to today, relegated, they’ve just set a new club record losing 11 in a row before getting a draw against Newcastle last week, even I fancy our chances today.

  40. Micko says:

    Some drive by Max Verstappen, history in the making.

    Tomas Rosicky not fit……I’m in shock !!

  41. allezkev says:

    That looks a good team Coach…

    Rico, maybe Wenger was being political with his Walcott comment “he’ll be here next season”, I guess that’s what you do when you’re trying to squeeze as much value as you can out of a transfer…

    Interesting to see Arteta on the bench, wonder if Wenger is trying to keep him at Arsenal..?

  42. allezkev says:

    Not heard from Ginge today Mick…

    Did he mention anything about visiting Manchester this week?

  43. goonster says:

    Oh how we ve missed santi…it’s so obvious he’s the gel that holds that team together. Our title challenges took a massage hit when he went down against the baggies. So sad.

  44. Rick says:

    Presentation at end of game to Tomas . Silver Cannon for his 10 years service. Should have been more.

  45. goonster says:

    Lol scums 2 down. You can’t make this up. They more bottlers than us. Lol. Wenger off the hook again.

  46. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Why we not shot???!!!
    always the same!!!
    Why only AS and Giroud (only aerial balls) have permission to shot?

  47. Nashua Gunner says:

    Good Afternoon Rico and All.

    Swansea 1 vs Mancity 1
    Newcastle 2 vs Tottenham 0
    Arsenal 1 vs. Aston Villa 0
    Watford 1 vs. Sunderland 0
    Chelsea 0 vs Leicester 0
    West BROMWICH 1 vs Liverpool 1
    Everton 2 vs. Norwich 0
    Stoke 0 vs. West HamU 1

  48. goonster says:

    Kroenke at the Emirates?? And the fans are quiet? ? See what I mean?? We are a lily livered bunch. For shame.

  49. allezkev says:

    Still only 1-0, what does that really tell us…!

    Tbh, the Spuds at St James’ is a sideshow and shouldn’t really conceal what’s happening at the Emirates…

  50. allezkev says:

    That’s right Rico, finishing above the Spuds is just the booby prize…

    We’ve still got a lot of issues that need sorting in the summer.

  51. Micko says:

    rico, David de Gea might have something to say about that !!!

    You gotta hand it to spurs, no matter how bad things are they always manage to brighten up your day lol

  52. Le Coq Monster says:

    I kroenking hate them spud kroenkes……….however, they do provide me with the most satisfying moments !

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

  53. Canadian Gooner says:

    Good Evening to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.

    Well I’d hoped we would finish the season as league winners, but that was not to be. One consolation though, we WONT have to listen to the Scum fans crowing like cocks on top of the dung hill that they finished above us. Bittersweet, but far better than the alternative.

  54. Canadian Gooner says:

    Ginge – Amen to that. It is a shame that Tomas couldn’t also have had a few minutes on the field.

  55. rico says:

    Do tell us Ts, it’s always nice to prove one is right…

    Afternoon Cg. That’s the only good thing really, especially as a Totts fan buys eggs off me… Lol

  56. Canadian Gooner says:

    Le Coq – A very happy St Totteringham`s Day to you too. I had totally forgotten about that as it isn’t usually so late in the season, but as they say, better late than never.

  57. Le Coq Monster says:

    What more can one want in life ?…………………blazing sunny day in Cornwall, cutting the grass on my boys toy ride-on-mower and Dennis blesses us with one of the most hilarious St Totteringham Days ever !

    Thank you Dennis thank you !.

    Mind you…..the Giroud hattrick has probably conviced Arsene we dont need a striker ! hahaha

  58. Canadian Gooner says:

    You almost, but not quite, feel sorry for the ManUre fans. No matter the result of their postponed game, they are stuck in the Europa League.

    I can’t believe I wrote that. It must be the effects of St Totteringham`s Day. It would be worse for Arsenal if they had missed out on Europe altogether. Now they have to plat all those late week Europa games before their league commitments. Pity (ha ha ha ha ha ha….)!

  59. Le Coq Monster says:

    What a weird day !……………………a controlled explosion at Manchester United and a controlled implosion at Tottenham Hotspuds !.

  60. Rick says:

    Rico good to see the fans stay to give the three leaving a good send off.
    I still think Arsene should find a coaching place for Mikal.

    Playing in the Spax Cup in germany our U17 have played 3 w2 d1 and have reached the s/f. In todays 1-1 draw our goal was scored by Nketiah the first of many to come, outside of the youth league.

  61. Canadian Gooner says:

    Well, I’m off to cook myself some brunch. Have a great Sunday and St. Totteringham’s Day everyone. I’ll see you in the House tomorrow.

  62. George says:

    love it …yes we played crap and still won 4-0 but finishing above the scum made my day..

  63. Lee says:

    How fucking funny was that? Spuds really are a gift that keeps on giving aren’t they?

    I just hope Wenger doesn’t think Giroud is our main striker next season!!!

  64. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Evening Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Just back from from some spuddie hunting on their websites. What a long faced lot they are. So depressed. I think they will still be in denial stage come December.

    It was hilarious watching the goals flying in at St James Park. I could not believe my eyes. Spuds were lording it on possession while the barcodes were scoring at will. And they had a player sent off. lol

    Could not write a better script.

    Yes, I thought that St Totteringham’s day was impossible and now it happened.

    But it still rankles that we finished 2nd

  65. tsgh says:

    Micko- Rico sits on the own goal panel (behind the curtains at least); she was always going to deny MA08 his farewell goal. 😉

  66. tsgh says:

    Hope Aw gets a proper replacement for MA08…

    One of my all time fave players ever to play in the EPL….

    You can tell form the players how much they respect him…

  67. obi says:

    At least he knows, Wenger on today’s game:
    I agree with you that we did not start the season saying we want to finish above Tottenham. But we wanted to win the league and I agree with you there is a frustration because we didn’t win the league. Today, we could only play with the target we had and the only one we had before the game was to finish second. We achieved it. For a while our supporters have not been going home happy from here – at least today they had some satisfaction.

  68. tsgh says:

    Dev- Only the signing of a player like Pjanic/Kroos can assuage the lose of Tr07 and MA08 for me…

    I know both players were leaving but it saddens me not to see both TR07 and MA08 in the red and white for the final time…

  69. Micko says:

    Mitrovic will probably miss the first two months of the season through suspension after todays tackle, sounds perfect to me !

  70. Joe says:

    23 or 24 goals for a season is not bad for any striker it’s a shame our git took two and half months off.

  71. Joe says:

    We finely finish above u td, city, spuds (ok we always do),chelsea and liverpool and we get the leicester city miracle bloody hell.

  72. goonster says:

    Hey ts did you see change bow out in style yesterday. He’s coming mate. I can feel it. Him mikitaryan and morata and we re sorted. Yikes I feel a jizz coming 😀

  73. goonster says:

    Afternoon gooners still smiling. Can’t shake this feeling. From being petrified at the sight of the scums winning the league to utter Joy and exhilaration at their capitulation. Haaa you can’t make this up. Come on you gunners. Fuck off you spurs.

  74. goonster says:

    Change is xhaka people….pardon my stupid phone. Hey Joe what’s good my friend? Darkside??? No I am DARKSIDE 😀

  75. rico says:

    Not at all Joe, as I’m off now. When darkness arrives, I have to go home…. 😉

    Night all… Keep laughing… At the Totts….

  76. Joe says:

    On a break in a hotel with 16 sports channels it’s like I died and gone to heaven the wife thinks she’s in hell. ?
    How’s the family

  77. Joe says:

    No but I had to hide the remote control during our game when Newcastle decided that spurs are sh*t and showed everyone how it’s done.
    Thank god no she doesn’t like English football she’s a proper irish lass by the why it’s bad enough the daughter is a man u td fan.

  78. potter says:

    Just got home. Still smiling, tomorrow we can argue the toss .Tonight a nice tempranillo in front of motd . I Hope Lineker and Murphy plus any assorted Spurs person presents it.

  79. goonster says:

    Lol JM are you bitter 😀 I love benfica. Wish they ll win it for another 3 years. Can’t stand Porto from the days of Mario jardel. Lol

  80. goonster says:

    Lol joe wish I had a family of football lovers too. Man I ve been in this country for too long. Think it’s time I move back.

  81. Marshall says:

    That was a good result to end this long and emotional wreck of a season. Hope Giroud’s hat trick earns us an extra 5m in his sale to wherever he will go.

    Was an emotional farewell to Arteta, he loved the club and the game. Am going to miss the Mozart more!

    A special shout out to Spurs, boy aren’t they the chief bottlers!! Haha they just made my day.

  82. allezkev says:

    Just seen a post match interview with Mikel Arteta, despite him being emotional I did get the impression that Wenger is trying to keep him at the club despite overtures from Guardiola.
    Seems that he is gonna think things over, during the summer and discuss it with his family.
    So we could have him joining our coaching staff after all, fingers crossed.

  83. tsgh says:

    Kev- your post above has brightened my day. It will be a travesty if he was allowed to just walk…

    The youth system is calling for his ilk. He has another offer on table with a La liga club…; I guess part of him would love to play on for a season or 2 whilst the other wants to go into management asap…

    On another note, how did those scientist/meteorologist come up with April being the hottest on record?

    Good morning Rico and all…

  84. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Seems that London is tidy once more. It has been cleaned of spuds, iron, pensioners.

    And its painted red.

    Anyone knows when the third place CD is going to be produced and sold???

  85. Lee says:

    So Arteta has been doing his coaching badges whilst out injured and being paid £80k pw by Arsenal…… and we’re potentially allowing him to join Citeh’s coaching staff????

    Someone needs fucking shooting at Arsenal if this happens!

  86. rico says:

    Morning Ts, Devil, Lee and all…

    Can’t see Arteta jumping ship myself IF the club offer him a coaching role, surely he’ll accept it after all he said yesterday…

  87. Adam says:

    Morning Rico, Brudder and all.
    After the interminable gloom that has surrounded the club for what seems an age I was pleased that yesterday, at least, was a fun day. Much thanks must go to Spurs for their contribution. Watching the players with their kids and seeing the tributes to Mikel and Tomas helped and Mikel’s tears were rather touching. As we walked back to the car we were alongside Alex Scott and when she reached her car we all congratulated her and gave a nice little round of applause which she reciprocated.
    Considering the bummer of a season we have had, at least it ended on a high by bringing the fans together as they should be.

  88. potter says:

    The crowd came together more so at Spurs expense rather than the way we were playing. BUT IT WAS FUN . probably the first time in ages.

  89. Lee says:

    We should be competing with Europe’s elite NOT rejoicing over finishing 1 point ahead of a small team from Middlesex with a wage bill of £70m less than us and young dynamic manager……We need to follow Bayern’s module, by getting some ex-Arsenal proper footballing men on the BOD’s.

    I still believe we need more than three quality players to push on! We always seem to not quite do enough in the transfer market which inevitably leads to us coming up short.

    I think we need a CB, Striker and a wide man on top of Xhaka’s signing plus promote from within.

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